Steering-wheel



w. c. RASTETTER STEERING WHEEL. APPLICATION FILED FEB-14,1919- Patented Feb. 17,1920.

ATTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM C. RASTETTER', OF FORT WAYNE, INDIANA.

STEERING-WHEEL.

Application filed February 14, 1919.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM C. RAs'rn'r- TER, a citizen of the United States of America, and resident of Fort Wayne, in the county of Allen and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Steering-Wheels, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in steering wheels for automobiles consisting of a circular wooden rim mounted upon a g the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan view of the steeringwheel with parts thereof shown broken away and in section;

Fig. 2 is a transverse section of Fig. 1 approximately on the line wa: thereof; and

Fig. 3 is a detailed view showing a plan of the end of one of the spider-arms upon a larger scale. v

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views and referring now to the same:

1 is a wooden rim constructed with a series of gains 2 made in its inner side from each of which extend a pair of divergent holes 3. 4 is a metallic spider having a series of outwardly and upwardly diverging arms 5, each of which has at its outer end a head 6 from which extends outwardly a pair of prongs 7 projecting in parallel relation with each other and adapted to enter the corresponding holes 3 and to be spread apart therein as the spider is forced into position in connection with the rim.

In making the steering wheel the spider is formed of pliable metal that will admit of Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 17, 1920.

Serial No. 276,949.

the arms being bent sufiiciently upward as to admit of the rim to completely encompass the spider, and the spider is then positioned for the introduction of the prongs into the holes. The spider-arms are bent outwardly so that the prongs are forced into the holes and spread to conform therewith by pressure exerted against the spider. In performing this operation the wooden rim is held tightly in a clamp (not shown) to prevent splitting or otherwise becoming injured by the forcible insertion of the spider.

By means of this construction the heads 6 project into the corresponding gains 2 and the prongs are concealed within the body of the rim, and the usual attaching projections and securing screws that ordinarily are employed and obstruct the exterior of the rim are eliminated leaving the rim entirely free of their objectionable presence.

IVhat I claim is 1. In a steering-wheel, a rim having a series of gains made in its inner side and a pair of divergent holes extending from the bottom of each gain into the body of the rim; and a spider having outwardly and upwardly extending arms, the outer ends of which have heads respectively adapted to fit in the corresponding gains in the rim and two prongs forcibly spread into the pair of holes leading therefrom.

2. In a steering-wheel a rim having a series of holes in its inner side arranged in divergent pairs, and a spider having arms from the outer ends of which extend parallel prongs adapted to be spread as they are.

forcibly projected into the corresponding pair of divergent holes so as to conform therewith, said spider being so constructed as to admit of the introduction and lodgment of the prongs into the rim by bending its arms outwardly.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM G. RASTETTER. Witnesses:

MA'rrLDA ME'I'I'LER, WALTER G. BURNs. 

